An example of a waterproof connector with a construction in which a plurality of electrical wires connected to electrical contacts are waterproofed and caused to extend from a housing is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-266941. The connector disclosed therein uses an elastic rubber member as a waterproofing member. Wire-accommodating openings, which are used to waterproof and accommodate the electrical wires, are formed in the waterproofing member. However, in cases where an elastic rubber member is used as a waterproofing member, the pitch of the wire-accommodating openings formed is restricted, so that the electrical wires cannot be disposed at a narrow pitch. That is to say, if the wire-accommodating openings are formed at a narrow pitch, the thickness of the elastic rubber member between adjacent openings is reduced, so that there is a danger of splitting in these areas.
Another example of a waterproof connector, which makes it possible to waterproof electrical wires disposed at a narrow pitch is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 9-106854. The waterproof connector disclosed therein includes a waterproofing resin material, which is packed into a cavity formed in a rear portion of a housing. The resin material is packed so that it fills the spaces between the electrical wires and the housing. In the case of this connector, however, gaps are formed between the electrical wires and the resin material when an external force is applied to the wires, so that there is a danger of a deterioration in the waterproof characteristics of the resin material.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof connector, which makes it possible to extend electrical wires from a housing at a narrow pitch while waterproofing the wires, and which makes it possible to obtain a highly-reliable waterproofing effect, and a waterproofing-housing member which is used in the waterproof connector.